A network administrator carries the significant responsibility of ensuring that every aspect of their network is both well-protected from threats that compromise its safety and optimized for the highest degree of functionality. There are many specifically targeted jobs involved in the upkeep of a complex computer network, though out of them all, the administrator is the individual who holds the most all-inclusive degree of power and authority over the network’s core configuration.

In addition to exercising their authority to enact any operations that deeply alter the way that the network runs, the administrator or may also occasionally fulfill a supervisory role in which they are counted on to effectively coordinate the tasks of several team members who each collaboratively contribute to the health of the network in their own way.

Even if their network hasn’t recently suffered any cyber attacks or system failures, the typical days of the administrator are packed with essential tasks that are necessary for ensuring that that a well-running network continues to runs smoothly. The following are a few of the most important tasks that a network administrator typically engages in on a daily basis.

Network Analytics Assessment

Even when there don’t appear to be any immediately observable irregularities that are negatively impacting the network, subtle performance analytics can sometimes silently tell the administrator a hidden story that would otherwise have gone unheard until it progressed to the point at which only a bad ending was possible.

There are many potential threats to a network that can remain dormant until they abruptly manifest and cause havoc without warning, but fortunately, many of these threats create warning signs that a trained administrator has the right kind of technical knowledge to pick up on relatively quickly.

To make sure that no small crucial clues fall through the cracks, an administrator must constantly stay aware of all the subtle indicators of the network’s performance in order to either confirm or deny that everything as it should be. If the administrator notices that something is off, even if it isn’t immediately causing a serious problem, catching onto certain peculiar patterns known as telltale precursors to serious potential network problems in the future allows them to be nip the issue in the bud.

New System Installation And Tamper Checks

A network administrator’s responsibilities necessitate paying attention to the state of multiple computers; this is especially so if they happen to work in a setting with publicly accessible machines such as an academic computer lab or a library. Whenever the facility that employs the administrator receives shipments of new machines, it will be the administrator’s job to get them all up and running with the standard issue software and the operating system.

In the morning, an administrator who oversees the network for a shared space of public internet access will oftentimes run quick checks on all of the different computers in the network to ensure that they’re in-sync. In an area where students or public users have a habit of getting up to mischief and adjusting the ways that the computers operate, one of the administrator’s most common tasks will be to identify the usual signs interference caused by those who managed to circumvent their user permission limits and undo whatever they’ve disrupted.

Routine Upgrades, Repairs And Error Reports

Because the potential threats to network integrity are constantly evolving with the times, administrators often make an effort to stay one step ahead by making sure that all computers are continually updated with the latest security solutions to account for what the latest potential viruses and hacking methods may be. In the event that any of the network’s computers do become compromised, the administrator will need to repair it before the other computers are put at risk. In some cases, a serious infection might necessitate reinstalling the afflicted computer’s operating system from scratch.

In addition to repairing infected computers, the administrator will also need to take account of what the unique nature of the computer’s problem was in order to develop a clear picture of exactly what kind of threat the network is dealing with.